Mission

With all of the chaos still happening at the boarders and children still separated from their parents in detention facilities where most are being abused, being a domestic violence victim is no longer applicable to claim asylum. This shouldn’t be too surprising. Women in the United States who are victims of domestic violence are not treated much differently. 1 in 3 women are a victim of domestic violence, 1 in 7 women have been stalked by an intimate partner and the presence of a gun in a home where there is domestic violence increases the risk of death by 500%. These are recent statistics put out by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV). When a women finds herself to be a victim she experiences higher levels of depression, anxiety and suicidal tendencies. There are so many factors that come into play that destroy a woman’s life as well as the children she is trying to protect. The vulnerability of a child when they are the witness of a traumatic and violent event can leave a devastating impact and scar them for life. The threat to a woman losing her life to domestic violence in the States is the same as if she was coming from Central America and not receiving the right protections. ...read more...

Domestic violence has always been thought of as a “woman’s issue” and therefore women should deal with it. This suggests that it’s all her fault and whatever is it that SHE’S doing is causing this to happen her and only she can fix it. The burden is not with the woman but with the toxic mentality of the man she is with. The understanding that there is significant danger if he is allowed to have access to her and their children keep her in an hyper state of anxiousness. The threat doesn’t change because of geography. So many women are misidentified and wrongly accused by police officers who are either not properly trained or just don’t care. The justice system is so flawed that unless a woman is found dead, the case gets dismissed. Forcing a victim to provide witnesses and extensive physical damage to her body is an ignorant and uneducated response to a horrific situation. Domestic violence is committed behind closed doors with no witnesses and overwhelming shame. All of this forcing women to suffer in silence. Unless her abuser is jailed and unable to get to her, she will have to live with the abuse until her body can’t take it anymore. If the United States Justice System doesn’t protect domestic violence victims how can we expect Attorney General Jeff Sessions to do the same with asylum seekers? This is a dangerous message in the time of Trump because being a victim of this kind of abuse can be delegitimized and relegated to a misunderstanding.

When you turn away and reject asylum seekers who are escaping domestic violence from foreign countries, you are also rejecting the women in America who have been fighting for their freedom from violence for years. This is not an us versus them, this is for all women who are trapped and trying to find refuge from the systems who said they would help them only to be failed again and again. Women from Central America are no different from women in the United States, their children deserve better and they deserve to have a mother who is with them and not an unfortunate consequence of a marriage or relationship gone wrong. We must look at the big picture and understand that the laws being written are not just for “certain” women, they’re for all women. We must pay attention to the way the Trump Administration is treating these women seeking asylum from violence because their laws will be our laws.

When AG Jeff Sessions says domestic violence isn’t grounds for seeking asylum it’s the same as a judge saying that because no one saw what happened or she looks fine to me, believes justice has been served. Both will be sent back to their abuser and one or both may not see another day. This is not a one dimensional issue, there are layers that need to be picked apart. If we make this a black and white issue there will never be justice and more women will die leaving children behind to process everything. If there is a well founded fear that if a woman is sent back to her country or her home that she will be killed, action should be taken to do whatever necessary to protect her and her children. It shouldn’t matter what her ethnicity, skin color or cultural background is. Domestic violence is killing women. Period.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this blog! BeaSister2aSister is a 501(c)3 non profit that helps survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, abuse and exploitation to gain the skills and tools to become self sustainable again and break away from interdependence. We are based in Brooklyn, NY with programs in several countries.

If you would like to help us bring survivors out of dependence and into self sustainability, please visit our website @ http://www.beasister2asister.org & click on give today. You can make a one time donation or be a sustainable reoccurring donor. Thanks for supporting!

The separation of children from their parents at the border is still a disease that is plaguing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Health & Human Services (HHS), the US government and everyone who wants them reunited. Hiding the gender segregation of the children should’ve been a pretty big red flag. Separating the boys from the girls suggests there is some sort of plan in place that is not designed to keep them safe but subservient. For the longest time no one knew what was happening in those detention centers, not the parents, not the people in congress against this decision-nobody. Until now. ...read more...

Recently, detention centers that hold large groups of children ranging from toddlers to teenagers have come under fire for abuse and torture of these kids. Verbal, physical and psychological attacks flooded the media when distant incoherent children began being reunited with their parents. One little girl, being returned to her mother, was found covered in lice and suffered from neglect. A little boy meeting his father in the airport after months of detention, was so traumatized that he couldn’t bring himself to hug his dad much less smile when he saw him. There are more cases re-surfacing of children being threatened, denied food and basic necessities. But things have gotten much worse. A facility in Arizona has been the subject of sexual abuse of children being held in their center. A 6-year old girl has endured unwanted physical contact and was forced to sign a document she had no comprehension of. Then she was told it was her responsibility to stay away from her abuser as of it was her fault all along. A 14-year old girl was molested and sexually abused by an employee in the Arizona facility. He has since been arrested. A 15-year old Honduran boy was being molested by a 46-year old youth care worker who had unlimited access to him. ProPublica has obtained police reports and call logs from more than two-thirds of youth immigrant centers run and/or contracted by the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Refugee Resettlement describing rampant abuse. This is according to ThinkProgress.

Even though the practice of separating children from their families at the border has ended, there is still a crisis going on. There was no plan as to how children would be handled after invoking the separation policy. Contracted workers that were obviously not screened are easily employed and given the responsibility to make sure the kids are safe and well adjusted. But this is not what’s happening. A child psychiatric expert called these facilities a “gold mine” for predators, and they are. What’s more troubling is that there are still a large number of children who have not yet seen their parents and probably don’t even know they have been deported. The Trump administration justifies the separation by saying that these children were being smuggled, trafficked and how the US was saving them. Putting them in detention facilities where they are subject to sexual abuse is not saving them. The tactics employed include a breakdown process consisting of psychological, physical and sexual torture that makes the US look like the trafficker and not the savior.

The hundreds of children who are now safely in the arms of their parents will still struggle with the trauma they have endured. The children who continue to be held with no knowledge of what the future holds are suffering continually and they don’t have a voice. I’m writing because I want to be their voice and you should too. You don’t have to be a parent, we were all children once. Think of a time when you lost your mom or dad in a crowded public space, it’s terrifying, especially when a stranger starts to talk you, you’re scared and helpless. Now multiply that by 1000 and you will have some sense of the fear these kids are feeling. This goes way beyond monsters under the bed, the monsters in this scenario are real.

Let us keep this conversation going and continue to shine the spotlight on these abuses. Don’t let it get lost in the fray that is this administration. These children have no one they can turn to, they need us.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this blog! BeaSister2aSister is a 501(c)3 non profit that helps survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, abuse and exploitation to gain the skills and tools to become self sustainable again and break away from interdependence. We are based in Brooklyn, NY with programs in several countries.

If you would like to help us bring survivors out of dependence and into self sustainability, please visit our website @ http://www.beasister2asister.org & click on give today. You can make a one time donation or be a sustainable re-occurring donor. Thanks for supporting!

“We are living in extraordinary times.” That’s the consensus most people have come to when watching the whiplash actions of the current administration and it’s policies. Then there are those who are shall we say complacent, oblivious and living in their own bubble so they don’t have to care or wonder what fate holds for them. And then there’s the “What are you talking about? Everything is fine” group who thinks things are running smoothly and right on track. They prefer to adapt the Alfred E. Newman strategy “What? Me worry?” All of this is can just make you want to find an island somewhere and start all over. Times have definitely changed but not for the better. Immigration has gotten so out of control that people are adopting a WWII style of hiding immigrants in their homes the way sympathetic Germans hid Jews from the Nazis, only this time it’s ICE. ...read more...

Our asylum laws have been hijacked by a government who thinks it’s a crime for people to want protection from conflicts in their country. Women are being forced back into domestic violence situations while others are being sent to their death. But the most upsetting human rights violation yet is the separation of children from their parents at the border who are coming to the US to seek asylum. Not only are most of these detention centers neglecting and abusing these kids but there is no guarantee that most of them will be reunited with their families. Children who are pre-kindergarten age are expected to have a law degree and represent themselves in an immigration court to a mostly heartless, unfeeling judge. WHAT?! Welcome to the NEW WORLD ORDER if your here illegally we’ll deport you, if your here legally we’ll deport you, if your a victim of domestic abuse and your here we’ll deport you. We’ll even work with your abuser to get you out, he won’t get charged but you will. You’re a citizen? Well that can’t be right, we’ll need to check the process of your naturalization and then we’ll let you know when it’s time to leave.

That’ll teach you to come to America, get married have a family and a good life!

If we look close at this mess, we can see that the primary victims in most of these cases are women. A majority of women that risk their lives crossing the border from Latin countries are escaping from some form of domestic abuse or trafficking and some are coming with children. To say that these women are escaping to traffic their own kids is insane and a lame excuse to bar them from asylum. Sealing off legal entries while at the same time reiterating they must enter legally is like hearing the sound of one hand clapping. But to then take away the only precious thing they have left in their life-their children-is unnecessarily cruel and inhumane. These women will never get access to the services they need, they will have no one to talk to except DHS or an ICE agent who will never understand or care about their situation. Then there’s the Blue Campaign. This is a campaign started by the Department of Homeland Security to help, yes I said help, victims of human trafficking no matter where they come from. So the question then becomes, what do you do if they are from a foreign country and have no papers but need help and services? Or is this campaign a front to deport more people, in this case women.

This all makes it more difficult to get to these women who desperately need resources. it hinders the work of non profits who are repeatedly trying to reach the border to offer help. Organizations are walking on eggshells with clients who are waiting for visas or green cards. Worrying that they will get picked up just for going to the corner to buy bread. The open cases of survivors are pushed aside when it comes to immigration. When it is found out that you are involved in a human trafficking case you are automatically labeled a criminal when in fact you are a victim. There is no good judgement just a need to follow orders at any cost. What’s really upsetting is that there are not much these organizations can do once a survivor is detained. DHS starts to suffer from amnesia when they are asked why a survivor was pulled into a raid and deported. What happened to the Blue Campaign? We as women are fighting a new battle, one that traumatizes, abuses and re-victimizes. Not only are we fighting global battles but we are also fighting on the home front. Reproductive rights, sexual assault, rape, murder, domestic violence, human trafficking, female mortality rates in childbirth and all around equality. It seems like women are trying to fit into a world that no longer exists for them.

The bright side to all of this is that more women and young women are running for political seats trying to change the landscape and make America more female friendly instead of woman hating hostile. The problem is when we do that we again get put under the bitch, whore and slut category for demanding our human rights. An old familiar song that never stops playing, it’s always on the intimidated male politician’s playlist of greatest hits. But we keep singing, as we should, until our song makes it to the top of the charts. Never give up, every woman’s life depends on it.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this blog! BeaSister2aSister is a 501(c)3 non profit that helps survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, abuse and exploitation to gain the skills and tools to become self sustainable again and break away from interdependence. We are based in Brooklyn, NY with programs in several countries.

If you would like to help us bring survivors out of dependence and into self sustainability, please visit our website @ http://www.beasister2asister.org & click on give today. You can make a one time donation or be a sustainable reoccurring donor. Thanks for supporting!

The divisions between Israel and Palestine are very real and badly intentioned. It seeks to keep out a people who supposedly have no rights to land that are for “God’s chosen people”, this in itself is a human rights problem because Palestinians are banned from from entering certain parts of the country while Jewish settlements are being built around them. Those that climb over the wall really do pay with their life with little to no threat to the Israelis. ...read more...

The war in Gaza still rages but the West Bank is peacefully quiet and many hope that it doesn’t spread. The moving of the US Embassy to Jerusalem by the Trump Administration did absolutely nothing to achieve peace. Parts of the Middle East along with the US government are coming together to make deals that Palestinians fear are not in their favor, they are the illegitimate child that no one wants and they don’t know why. The cries of the Palestinian people are painted on the wall including images that made the artist Banksy famous, but they all say the same thing, why can’t we have peace?

Women in Bethlehem have been discouraged from involving themselves in the politics of the struggle and now focus on preserving their culture. I met a women who owns one of the biggest Palestinian cultural shops in Bethlehem, she used to fight for the Palestinian cause but became tired and angered by the politics of it and decided to leave. For her human rights is not something that can be achieved in this lifetime so she has decided to preserve her culture so people do not forget. As soon as you walk into her shop on the right side the walls are decorated with photos of her and Mahmoud Abbass, Yassar Arafat, religious leaders and other important people in government. These are memories of a time that has passed with no resolution for peace in sight. Letting people know that this land belongs to her people and their rich history and past is now her passion. This is Bethlehem, the Holy Land, a place that has suffered from so much conflict that it’s wounds are still open. Before the current leadership there was peace and Israelis did not think Palestine was a problem until a government they’ve never known told them that it is and their lives will always be in danger as long as it exists. It has brainwashed most of the world and has made unlikely friends to support their cause. The idea of the total annihilation of Palestinians should scare anyone-including Israelis. It’s no wonder they are obsessed with preserving their heritage.

There are still women in various parts of the country that have not given up the fight, especially those that live in the middle of it all. But just like every conflict there are always dire consequences for the women.

Women’s organizations in Palestine are not always fully functional, unless you are getting a big grant from the UN to do human rights work, you must be creative in finding the right funders that will support a program that can change women’s lives in a different way. Most of them work on giving women and young girls a higher standing in society through education and skills. These organizations are more community based because that’s where the money is for them. It’s not that easy to take on the rights of the Palestinian women on a bigger scale. So much has been cut off from them, even others outside who want to support their cause and their projects are restricted. This doesn’t mean good things aren’t happening. I met with organizations that are encouraging women who were child brides to go back to school and finish their education, and their husbands approve. This is great progress in the movement to bring women out of a controlling or abusive situation and to a place where they can feel that they are in control of their lives. Women are contributing to their families income and saving money for themselves. This can mostly be achieved when you involve both men and women to change things within the framework of the culture and religion.

The main objective is to give them independence and sustainability not only for themselves but for their families. As many studies have shown, when women are lifted up and empowered to study or be part of the work force, the whole society benefits. Of course that doesn’t wipe out abuse or violence in the home but it’s a good start.

We are a part of this fight for the Palestinian women because we should be. Women’s rights can be taken away with a stroke of a pen, a change in laws or war, just because you don’t experience it doesn’t mean it can’t happen.

BeaSister2aSister is a 501(c)3 non profit organization. We work with survivors of Human Trafficking, Domestic Violence, Exploitation & Abuse to live a life free of interdependence while being able to sustain themselves and find true freedom. If you would like to support our work and be a life changing support for a survivor please visit our website: http://www.beasister2asister.org click on give today and make a one time or monthly donation. We welcome and value your support!

These are dark days for a country that has professed themselves as a “Shinning City on a Hill”. Over the past few weeks all of social media has been flooded with images of children being locked up in what looks like to be glorified dog cages as if they are dangerous wild animals ready to strike any innocent passer by who dare look in their direction. When has it become a policy to demonize children to get a clear immigration laws passed?...read more...

This back and forth blame game with no way out is just exacerbating what is already a horrific human rights atrocity. When audio released by ProPublica hit social media it was a firestorm of emotions for many people who wanted to know what was REALLY going on, and even then we don’t know the whole story. Parents arrested, separated from their children not knowing if they will ever see them again or what will happen to them. To add insult to injury, a border agent is heard, in Spanish, mocking the children crying for their mami and papi in the audio put out there by ProPublica. The consolation by another agent telling a child that if they have their aunt’s phone number they will help the child call her doesn’t really invoke a warm fuzzy feeling either.

As someone who works with women, some from these countries that the Trump administration has deemed “Dangerous”, I can tell you there is a real and credible fear that these women have who have suffered domestic violence and human trafficking. Yes they have children and some have children that they had to leave behind because it was impossible to take them in light of their abusive situation. The first thing they will ask is can I bring them here. They are scared for their life and for the life of their child back home. This brings me to Attorney General Jeff Sessions and his tone-deaf representation of the Bible and human rights. For starters, the Apostle Paul respected women and cited them in his work frequently. But it’s not surprising that Sessions took Paul’s words out of context, many white male Christians, especially those who use the Bible for their own fleshly desires, have been doing it for decades. Women being silent in the church because they were not formally educated in the Bible during those times turned into women not having a place at all in the church except to being submissive to men. When in reality Paul was encouraging them to wait until after the service to inquire about what was said. Even Jesus’ followers asked him questions. So this is why Jeff Sessions need to justify separating children from their families at the border falls flat. Here is one Apostle and passage, which quotes Jesus, that AG Sessions conveniently forgot:

Matthew 18:6

“If anyone causes one of these little ones – those who believe in me – to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone tied around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

That should be very sobering for someone who claims to worship Jesus and think that this is an actual “What would Jesus do?” moment. But apparently it isn’t.

Maybe domestic violence and human trafficking need to be explained to Jeff Sessions and the Trump administration, because if these parents are seeking asylum but at the same time “Trafficking” their children, why then would they go directly to a border patrol officer asking for help? This is a senseless excuse that feeds the fear this government has been sewing into the culturally ignorant populations of America. We have seen people come into this country with a credible fear for their life but then sent back to die, literally, because they themselves are assumed to be criminals, murders and rapists. Women however are a different story. They are presumed to be liars, putting their children in harms way, making them a scapegoat and the list goes on. But again, why should we be surprised by that? Women in the United States who are victims of domestic violence or human trafficking or both do not receive a warm welcome from the judicial system by way of safety and security. They have a hard time getting a job, renting and apartment or just being able to support themselves and their children. But are they separated from their children? At times, yes. Women who have suffered domestic abuse tearfully watch a judge grant their abusive husband custody of the children based on the lies he’s told about her. Sometimes she is not even granted visitation rights because her ex has convinced the court that she is a danger to her children. I’m almost positive you will hear them crying for mommy at that point.

To add insult to injury you have people from the Trump administration to DHS talking about how heartbroken they are about the children and how they want to fix it but…….The bottom line is this, the immoral and dehumanizing treatment of these children did not come from the Bible, it came from a poorly executed policy with extreme racist undertones. The Apostle Paul would not condone this and neither would Jesus. The Bible was written to open people hearts to love and respect one another not to persecute and criminalize people who are looking for refuge. As far as children go I will let the man himself tell you.

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”- Jesus

W.A.R. is a blog that is part of BeaSister2aSister.org a 501(c)3 non profit that has a sustainable program for survivors of human trafficking, domestic violence, exploitation & abuse globally. We are dedicated to helping survivors become independent & achieve sustainability.

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